I. nounEtymology: in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devilDate: 15th century1. an authoritative summary of faith or doctrine ;creed2. something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; especially a visible sign of something invisible <

the lion is a symbol of courage

>3. an arbitrary or conventional sign used in writing or printing relating to a particular field to represent operations, quantities, elements, relations, or qualities
4. an object or act representing something in the unconscious mind that has been repressed <

phallic symbols

>5. an act, sound, or object having cultural significance and the capacity to excite or objectify a response
II. verb(-boledor-bolled; -bolingor-bolling)Date: 1832symbolize

symbol — 1 Symbol, emblem, attribute, type can all denote a perceptible thing that stands for or suggests something invisible or intangible. Symbol and emblem are often used interchangeably but they can be so used as to convey clearly distinguishable… … New Dictionary of Synonyms